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Configuration

Configuration is how an ArmorLink node describes its editable settings to the App and the Web Node Configurator.

In ArmorLink 0.4.0, configuration covers both user-facing project settings and built-in setup fields such as node name, Bluetooth, Gateway mode and ESP-NOW channel.

Ownership​

Configuration belongs to the node that defines it.

  • A module stores its own settings locally.
  • A Gateway stores its own settings locally.
  • The Gateway routes App requests to paired modules, but it does not own their configuration.

Values are persisted in NVS and restored on boot.

Descriptor-Based UI​

A node exposes a JSON descriptor. Tools read the descriptor and generate a UI from it.

The descriptor includes:

  • Module name and type
  • Module version and ArmorLink version
  • Optional profile target and active profile name
  • Sections
  • Fields
  • Actions
  • Metadata such as ranges, tooltips, reboot flags and visibility rules

This means firmware controls what the App and configurator show without requiring custom UI code.

System Configuration​

ArmorLink 0.4.0 automatically exposes core setup fields in an ArmorLink section:

  • Node Name
  • Gateway Mode
  • Enable Bluetooth
  • Bluetooth Name
  • Enable Wireless Communication
  • ESP-NOW Channel

These fields make nodes configurable from setup tools without adding custom code to every sketch.

Settings that affect startup behavior are marked as reboot-required.

User Configuration​

Firmware can add its own settings:

module.config()
    .addInt("openingDurationMs", &config.faceplate.openingDurationMs, 700)
    .label("Opening Duration")
    .section("Faceplate")
    .tooltip("How long the faceplate takes to open.")
    .range(100, 5000)
    .step(50);

The App can edit the value and the firmware receives the updated value immediately.

Servo Configuration​

Servo-heavy builds should use addServoConfig(...) instead of manually creating unrelated fields.

module.config()
    .addServoConfig("servo1", &config.servo1)
    .section("Servo 1")
    .gpio(16)
    .openPosition(10)
    .closedPosition(158)
    .pulseRange(500, 2400);

The helper creates fields with consistent keys and servo semantics so setup tools can show servo-aware controls and test movement.

Profiles​

A node can define a profile target and active profile name.

module.profileTarget("muehliindustries.armorlink.helmet.v1");
module.profileName("Iron Patriot Generic Helmet");

The profile target identifies which cloud/community profiles are compatible with the firmware. Profiles can then be imported through setup tools and applied as configuration values.

Immediate vs Reboot-Required Changes​

Most configuration changes apply immediately.

Use .rebootRequired() for settings that need hardware or transport reinitialization, such as:

  • GPIO changes
  • Servo count changes
  • BLE name changes
  • Gateway mode changes
  • ESP-NOW channel changes

The new value is still saved immediately, but the node may need a reboot before the behavior changes.

Conditional Visibility​

Use visibleWhen(...) to keep large setup UIs manageable.

.visibleWhen("innerLightsEnabled", true)

Tools can hide dependent fields until the controlling setting is enabled.

Summary​

ArmorLink 0.4.0 configuration provides:

  • Persistent node settings
  • App and Web Configurator discovery
  • Built-in system setup fields
  • String, int, float, bool and readonly fields
  • Servo-aware configuration helpers
  • Profiles and profile targets
  • Reboot-required and conditional UI metadata